As our next to last co-op of the year, our group visited Camp Bayou in Ruskin. They have multiple learning opportunities for small groups and several trails on the property. Due to sickness we ended up having to reschedule from our original date in April. Despite only four families being able to make it, it was well worth rescheduling to attend.
Camp Bayou is open to all who have a love and appreciation of the outdoors and want to learn more about the natural world around them and it's past, present, and future. We chose to learn about the water cycle the day we attended and got a closer look at the Little Manatee Watershed in the Hillsborough County and Manatee County area. First we discussed what a watershed was and how it affects us. We looked at some maps that showed how the water moves from outlying areas and higher elevation and flows downward to larger bodies of water ultimately ending in the Gulf of Mexico.
Then to make all of this learning real to the kids, we played a game. One person began with a cup of marbles and they were the rain cloud there were multiple lines breaking off from this person. Each of the other kids had a cup with different things written on them, designating the way water is diverted from the water cycle. For example, there were cups for pollution, cooking and household use, industry, farming, and more. As our raincloud would pass water droplets downstream, the parents would randomly call out one of the cups, and then a water droplet would be diverted into the cup while other water continued down stream. By the time, the water reached the ocean there was less than there had been at the beginning. Within a few cycles we had run out of water, the lesson was to conserve water when possible and to consider ways of using less water and recycling the water that we do use.
The next spot we stopped was inside the classroom building where the kids were able to explore various exhibits for natural science. All the kids found multiple exhibits to interest them. There was a card catalog box, that had been converted into various small drawers holding different insect specimens and information on them. There was a small table with microscopes and magnifying glasses with a number of other items that they could examine more closely. That is were the boys spent most of their time. Britt liked the fossils best particularly a mastodon tooth. Ruth's favorite part of the classroom was the turtle in a tank. We can't recall the type of turtle that it was now, but it was full grown despite being small enough to fit in the palm of the bigger kids' hands. Everyone hated the boring non descript name it had so the co-op as a whole decided to rename him Gerald and even the volunteer who lead our explorations liked the new name. Rebecca's favorite section was learning about the snakes of Florida which ones are and are not venomous, and how to tell them apart. My advice though was to kill or steer clear of them all. Ha! It took Kate a long time to determine what her favorite part was, but ultimately she settled on the skeletal displays of several types of reptiles and amphibians. Her very favorite being the turtle shell that she could hold.
As we said goodbye to our volunteer for the day, we headed out to do a short hike that circles by the canoe launch. Along the trail we were delighted to discover some very recently hatched turtle eggs. There were little turtle prints in the sand near by, some still clear enough to distinctly see the individual toes. On the way back we walked near the cabins that were used nearly a hundred years ago on the property. After our short one mile hike, we broke for lunch in a covered and screened in pavilion. It was nice to not have to shoo bugs away while eating lunch. After the kids finished lunch and had a chance to play a bit we did one final hike that was a little longer than our first hike. Some of the group saw some turkeys but it was mostly a hot, dry hike. By this time it was nearly two so we gathered up our kiddos and headed for home. But it was a great day full of fun and learning.
We would be interested in visiting again for another program. If you'd like to make a trip the physical address to Camp Bayou in Ruskin is 4140 24th St SE, Ruskin, Florida. The park is open Thursday through Sunday from 9 to 2. Of course, you can always call for more information 813-641-8545, but the easiest way to contact them is through email at campbayou@gmail.com . Entrance to the Park is free, but for the youth programs the cost is $5 per child and adults are free.
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